Taking A Toll
by CheekyBrunette
Summary: No one was exactly sure how Sebastian managed to make his way into the head council, but they were sure that he was definitely letting his power go to his head, a certain blonde a little more than everyone. Niff. Warnings: References to a lot of not fun


**M'kay. Well. I've definitely been wanting to write this little thing for awhile. Someone once upon a time did something similar, but like… I wanted more of it. By a lot. **

**Cause the idea was so good.  
**

**So author of said story that I can remember but A+ for bringing Wes back in yours and being super awesome for writing it, I'm sorry for stealing your brilliant idea. **

How was it that Sebastian Smythe ever became a head council member? He was new to the school, new to the Warblers, and absolutely completely and utterly _mean_. To everyone. If there were ever a student who knew how to push the limits of the no bullying policy at Dalton Academy, it would be Sebastian. The coldhearted boy was constantly giving "advice" and "suggestions" with malicious intent in the name of the Warblers' standards. He just knew how to be deceptively cruel…

And it was obvious that Jeff Sterling was seriously struggling to support the weight of it.

It wasn't a secret that Sebastian loved Nick Duval. Apparently, the older boy was all about short brunettes, Blaine and Nick both included. It also wasn't a secret that he _hated_ Jeff in the same way he hated Kurt. Both boys had something that he wanted, the only difference was that Jeff had to deal with Sebastian all day every day, and Kurt only had to see him every now and then.

"Great job, Nick! This is why _you're_ the one with all the extra solos!" Sebastian complimented him after their third practice run of "Uptown Girl". Admittedly, Nick's performance hadn't been anything to praise, and he knew it. While the other Warblers were still struggling with their harmonies, Nick knew every up and down of the song and was now bored with it, his lack of enthusiasm showing in his singing. Of course, Nick also knew that Sebastian was only commenting to hurt Jeff, not please him.

He threw a look at his boyfriend, noting the way his head was bowed in defeat as Sebastian stepped over to him. He regarded the older boy fearfully with every right to. Jeff was fast to pick up dancing, collaborating with David for each choreograph, but slow to pick up his part of a song when it came down to it. Naturally, Sebastian liked using it as an excuse to throw everything he had at him.

"Okay, Jeff. I'm not sure what I can do with you anymore. I can't believe you're still not getting this," Sebastian was saying, but Nick couldn't pay attention to him. He _hated_ the way he was treating Jeff. His Jeff. And it was obvious the other Warblers felt the same way by their uncomfortable expressions. It was terrible when Sebastian was so mean…

But that was the problem. If they stood up for Jeff, they'd be the grunt of Sebastian's fury, too. And while Dalton students were known for sticking together and supporting each other, they were also known for running from their problems and maybe for being a bit too scared of confrontation to really do anything in situations like these… but you couldn't blame them. Not with the pasts they had…

Unfortunately, Jeff wasn't an exception to that generalization, and it pained Nick to see him just take everything Sebastian threw at him. "Look, Jeff. I know you're a weak singer, and I know you're slow at picking this stuff up, but you're seriously making me question why I'm still allowing you to be in this group. We can only have _good_ people in the Warblers, Jeff. And you're not doing anything else that's proving your worth. Step up before I make you step down."

"Yes, Seb."

* * *

"Je~eff!" Nick whined, arms wrapped around the blob of blankets that was his boyfriend. After yet _another_ Warbler practice where Sebastian had singled him out, Jeff had ran back to the dorm and buried himself under his covers. "Come on, Jeffy. He's just jealous, you know that," he said, pushing away his roommate's comforter and finding his face, brushing Jeff's bangs out of his sad, red-rimmed eyes gently.

"But he says it all the time, Nicky. All the time. And… And, I mean… He's right, I can't… I can't sing any of my notes right and I keep getting too nervous to do any of the dances… I'm not good enough," he said, a couple of tears running down his cheeks and Nick sighed, tightening his hold on Jeff and moving around until he managed to get his covers over both of them.

"But it's not true, Jeff. It's really not. You're just having trouble because he pushes you too hard. You're definitely good enough. If he weren't so influential over David and Thad, you would definitely have a solo by now. Don't let him get you down," he told him, trying to ignore how completely routine this was getting.

Nick was tired of Sebastian.

He was tired of him hurting Jeff like this… He was forcing him to meet with him three times a week to try to get him performing at the level Sebastian expected him to, and every time he came back he was more scared to go to practice and more upset with himself. Jeff didn't need extra help. He just needed to stop being yelled at.

"He's so… he's so _mean_. Every time I do something wrong he yells at me, and I can't… I can't take it anymore." Jeff was shaking in Nick's arms, and it was starting to get more than a little concerning. "I-It was supos'd to b-be better here, and i-its just like it was b-before." Nick felt his heart break. He didn't want Jeff to feel like he was back at his old school. He wished Jeff had _never_felt like he was at his old school. "I would r-rather be back ther'."

"Jeff… Don't say that. I'm sure it'll get better, okay? We just need to hold on a little longer. But I've got you. Don't do anything rash, okay?" he asked, but Jeff didn't answer, just trembled a bit more in his arms and fisted his hands into his shirt, pulling him a bit closer.

"I'm so scared."

* * *

It was getting worse: the whole thing with Sebastian, and it was getting harder for the Warblers to ignore. He was snapping at everyone, apparently comfortable enough with his fear factor to let whatever he wanted slip past his lips. Even David and Thad, his equals on the council, had the occasional put down or snap thrown their way.

"Seriously, Trent. It's practically just walking. Even _you_ should be able to keep up with that," Sebastian said with a pointed glare, and Trent rolled his eyes as the taller boy walked away, hands on his hips and doing a rather impressive tap dance behind his back. Nick snickered, earning a short huff from Sebastian. "This isn't a time for laughter, Nick, even if your fellow Warblers can't do a simple step change." Sebastian stepped close to him, touching his arm in a way Nick didn't appreciate, but that was just another way things were getting worse with him. Sebastian wouldn't stop touching him… Trent coughed.

"Yeah, Nick. No laughter. Especially if your leader is a total dick," the sassy boy commented, earning a chorus of giggles from the rest of the club. Even Jeff couldn't help but smile, which was seriously relieving Nick a bit. His boyfriend just seemed so… so _sad_ lately.

Jeff didn't seem to want to do anything. He was barely eating, and Nick hated the way he was thinning out and losing pounds he couldn't really afford to. The blonde was constantly working to please Sebastian, either practicing with him directly, practicing upon his instruction, or at his dance studio or the gym, exercising and getting "better". But Nick could tell he was falling apart.

It was getting harder to do what he was expected of. Nick could see that his voice and his body were both tired. He could see the fear in his every move, and that scared him more than anything. Jeff was terrified in the presence of Sebastian, leading Nick to believe that there was more going on when the two were alone than there was during regular Warbler practice.

Sebastian scowled, and then –for some unknown reason- turned to Jeff. He grabbed his lapel, much to every boy's surprised and Jeff just ducked his head in a resigned sort of way that sent fear stabbing through Nick's heart. What?

"Is that _funny, _Jeff? Cause I can name a few other things that are funny," he spat, and Jeff looked up, eyes wide. He shook his head violently, obviously fully aware of what Sebastian had in mind, even if Nick didn't have a clue. Jeff looked completely frightened, and Sebastian let him go, straightening himself out. "Fine. Not today," he decided and looked around at the other boys. "Practice dismissed," he determined, then turned back to Jeff, "But we meet in an hour."

And with that, Sebastian left the room, and the boys huddled around Jeff, all asking whether or not he was okay and trying to fix his blazer. Nick pushed his way through and found his boyfriend looking completely bewildered in a sea of questions.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly in his ear, and Jeff shook his head.

* * *

Okay, things were officially getting out of hand. Jeff wasn't talking; not even to Nick. The only time he opened his mouth, it was to sing in Warbler practice, and then every note he sang came with a stammer and the tell tale shaking of uncertainty as he tried to perform under Sebastian's scrutinizing glare.

And if he wasn't worried enough, the questions coming from all the other Dalton students certainly were making him. People he barely knew were giving Jeff worried glances as he walked down the hallway, the bags under his eyes and the thinness of his face making it obvious that something was wrong.

"Is Jeff going to be okay?" Trent leaned in and whispered one practice, and Nick shrugged, leaning in to whisper in the other boy's ear.

"I don't know. I think Sebastian's seriously scaring him whenever they're alone, but he won't say anything to me about it," Nick said quietly, his heart clenching when he spotted Sebastian whispering to Jeff across the room, the other boy looking completely rigid and terrified due to the other boy's words. Trent patted his leg, making Jeff pale even further.

"Dude, I'm sorry, man. That's rough that he's not talking to you, especially cause you guys are so tight." Nick nodded, biting his lip. He felt like Sebastian was tearing them apart.

Warbler practice crept along, all of the boys having to repeat each line of a song at least twelve times due to Sebastian's dissatisfaction with their performances, specifically Jeff's, naturally. Because in Sebastian's eyes, Jeff couldn't do anything right, even when Nick thought that was all he did. A couple of times, Nick felt Sebastian's hands on his waist, but he shook him off every time. He _hated_ Sebastian. He wasn't going to let him touch him anymore.

Eventually, they were dismissed, and Nick and Jeff hung around, Jeff staying because he would have to be back in fifteen minutes for Sebastian anyway and Nick staying because Jeff was.

"So… I was thinking about staying with you and Seb," he said, and Jeff's eyes widened, and it was weird. Weird because despite him seeming so scared lately, Nick hadn't seen a lot of emotion out of Jeff, and now it was all he saw. Nick didn't like it.

"Don't… that'll just make everything harder…" Jeff said, and Nick hated how strained his voice sounded.

"It'll make what harder?" he asked, and Jeff was silent for a moment, kicking at the ground and a sick realization swept over Nick. No… no. That's not what he was saying. They were good. Jeff… Jeff wouldn't… He… What?

"Nick, I think we need to break up," he said, and Nick knew he should be upset or worked up or something, but… the look on Jeff's face… it was sadder than he could ever be. So he nodded his head, feeling oddly resolute about everything. His heart was heavy, but… but he wasn't depressed. He was okay. And it was weird. Because Jeff didn't want this… Nick could tell. And it was up to him to figure out what was going on.

"Okay. See you in the dorm, I guess," he replied, leaving the room to the sound of Jeff's sobs, but there was nothing he could do.

* * *

"I don't know, guys. He didn't seem happy about it at all… The whole thing felt like I was the one breaking up with him, and now all I feel about the whole thing is guilty," Nick lamented, and David, Thad, Kurt, Blaine, and Trent all nodded. After word got out that Niff had broken up, the other boys had called for a meeting.

"That's honestly the most obscure break up I've ever heard of," Kurt said decidedly, his head resting on Blaine's stomach, who was hanging upside-down on Nick's bed Next to a right-side-up David. Trent and Thad were on the floor by Nick's feet, him up in his desk chair. Jeff's side of the room went untouched.

"Yeah," Blaine agreed, "That's totally out of the blue. Do you think it has anything to do with how Sebastian has been making him act strangely? I mean… I saw him for a _second_ coming in and he seemed so out of character, it was off-putting. And since this doesn't seem like a very Jeff-y thing to do…" he trailed off, and Nick nodded.

"I'm actually positive it has something to do with Seb. I've had this feeling for weeks that these little practices of theirs are more than they seem, but…" Nick let out a puff of exasperation, punching his desk. "He won't talk to me about it. It's so _frustrating_. I just want to help him, but I _don't know what's going on!_" Thad looked up and down from his phone quickly, the older boy oddly quiet, having been the one elected to pass news along to Wes.

"Woah, woah. Wait. And you haven't spied yet?" Nick was confused, but David jumped up, excited.

"Yeah, Nick! What are you doing? All you have to do is creep outside the door during one of their meetings and sneak around! How have you not done that?" Nick rubbed his face a couple times before threading his fingers through his hair.

"And what would that accomplish, David? I want him to talk to me not… I don't know. What if he really is going to far when he's alone with Jeff? What do I do? How do I even handle… I don't know. I feel like that's just showing I don't trust him in a way that won't really benefit anyone," Nick determined, ignoring the weird way his friends were looking at him.

Nick just wanted Jeff back.

* * *

Trent's cup barely made a noise as its rim made contact with the wooden door. He pressed his ear to its base, full audio of the room behind it coming through the bottom. He could only assume that David and Thad were also listening in through the other doors of the room.

So maybe Nick had told them he didn't want to spy, but that didn't mean that _they_ couldn't. Plus, Trent had reason to believe that all of his reserves were made on the basis that he didn't want to hear Sebastian hurting Jeff. Trent could understand that. Heck, Trent could even back that up. However, if Sebastian was actually _bullying_, which he technically was in the first place by singling Jeff out so much, then it was really about high time they did something about it.

Especially because looking at Jeff? Yeah. Trent wasn't even together with him (and nor would he ever be, Niff was far too important), and it completely broke his heart. He looked even worse than he did when he first came to Dalton, and that wasn't cool. Eventually, voices started tumbling through the glass, and Trent's thoughts were cut off at the sound of Sebastian's voice.

"'Glad You Came'," Sebastian instructed, "From the top." Jeff started his layer of initial 'oo's, his voice sounding scared and meek and shaking uncontrollably. Trent could feel his heart falling to pieces. During practice Jeff seemed terrified, but now… Wow. Sebastian cut the younger boy off. "Seriously, Jeff? Okay, look. This is why you had to break up with Nick and why he was cheating on you with that freak-o Trent Nixon. I can't believe you would even begin to allow yourself to bring him down with this hot mess you're sporting. It's called singing a note right, Jeff, and singing it confidently. Stop being such a wus, and grow a backbone."

Okay, so maybe Trent was cleaning the older boy's dialogue up a little bit, especially at the end, but you get the point. It kind of freaked him out that Seb could be spreading rumors like that, but he could see how Jeff could think they were true. He and Nick had been talking an awful lot… However, he didn't think things could get any worse until he heard a tumble on the other side of the room. Trent couldn't resist. He very carefully opened the door and peeked in, meeting eyes with Thad and David who were doing the same before turning to see Jeff on the ground and Sebastian standing over him.

"What, are you going to cry now? You're going to cry? Tell me how that's going to help your singing, Jeff. Tell me. Cause it's not. Maybe if you would stop being so freaking emotional all the time, you'd be able to get your part. It's your own fault you can't do anything right, Jeff, so fix it."

Okay. Okay, Trent had endured enough now. He shut the door just as carefully as he had opened it, stomach swirling with a lot of emotions and none of them good. How long did Nick say these practices went to? How often? Every day for four hours? And then Sebastian sent him off to his dance studio… Oh my gosh…

No wonder Jeff was so upset.

He stuffed his glass into his messenger bag and picked it up off the floor, turning down corridors to David's door. Thad was there too, the pair of them looking through the crack with horrified expressions. Confused, Trent pushed them out of the way, only to see-

"Shit," Trent breathed, barely taking in David and Thad nodding in his peripheral. Because there was Jeff, now standing in the center of the Warblers' practice room, completely tense and stiff with tears rolling down his eyes and a very angry Sebastian kissing/biting his way down his jaw line.

"You're such a cheater, letting me do this before, but now you're just a slut, aren't you?" Sebastian asked, angrily, mouth never leaving Jeff's paling skin. He was crying, but Sebastian wasn't stopping. Trent's fingers curled into fists, and he slammed the door closed angrily without thinking or caring about the noise it would make and took off running down the hall, Thad and David in tow.

* * *

Nick was sitting in Warbler practice, too many thoughts running through his mind to really pick any of them out. He couldn't pull his eyes away from Jeff… His. Jeff. Not Sebastian's, his. His heart was beating too fast to be healthy because he was looking at Jeff, really looking at him, and now… now everything Trent, Thad, and David had been telling him was starting to make sense.

Because he hadn't wanted to believe it, he really hadn't, and throwing textbooks at his friends until they left may have made that pretty clear, but now… Oh, crap, _Jeff_. How had he not noticed? He was supposed to be the one to see. His throat constricted, and he barely took note of the sheet music shoved in his hands and the way he was trying to sing without being able to breathe, too focused on Jeff.

He sent a text to Blaine, knowing he would understand instantly, despite not having talked to him: _What do I do?_ The reply was almost instant.

_End it._

Nick set his jaw, stopping his singing and eventually his fellow club members noticed him and died off, leaving Jeff the only one singing, his scared voice quiet in the near silent room. He quickly shut his mouth when he felt all their eyes on them, and Sebastian stood up from his previous spot on the head council table. "I'm sorry, did I say you could stop?" Jeff didn't respond. "Answer me."

Jeff looked stricken and floundered for a minute before starting to sing about and Sebastian, surprising and unsurprising at the same time, slapped him in the face in front of them all.

"I didn't say start either." Jeff looked to be trying to steel himself, keep his tears reigned in, but Sebastian noticed his watering eyes just as fast as Nick did. "Are you serious? You're going to cry? Gosh, Jeff. You're such a _girl_. How do you even stand it? It's like it's not enough for you to look like one, you have to act like one too. Why are you so horrible?"

Jeff now actually was crying, and Nick –a little too late- finally decided to do something. He stood up and crossed the room in two bounds, and as Sebastian opened his mouth to presumably say something else horrible to Jeff, Nick sent is fist flying into Sebastian's jaw, months of Fight Club finally paying off.

"The hell…?" Sebastian asked, regarding Nick with angry eyes. "What was that for?" Nick just laughed.

"What was that for? What do you mean 'What was that for'? You _know_ what that's for," Nick said, anger flaring in his brain as his words became hard. "I'm so sick of everyone just letting you get away with whatever you want because their too scared of you, when the only one who should be is Jeff." Sebastian gave him a condescending smile in response, taking his hand.

"Nick, baby…" he pulled away.

"I'm sorry, what? You think that because you forced Jeff to break up with me by filling his head with all sorts of nonsense you now have a chance? Hell no. I don't want you, Sebastian. At all. Ever. You're an ass, and you need to get your grimy, freaking a hands off of what is mine." Nick was growing possessive, but he didn't care. "Get the hell out of this room, get the hell out of his school, and go the hell back to France where they apparently don't have standards," he said with a growl, and Sebastian stood up, straightening his tie.

"Sorry, Nick, but this is _my _Warblers' Practice Room, and I'm telling _you_ to leave," he said, scraping together the dignity that Nick had stolen from him, until David piped up.

"All in favor of voting Sebastian Smythe out of council?" he asked, and hands flew up into the air, their owners standing up just to be sure it was seen. Trent leaned over and whispered into David's ear before he opened his mouth to kick Sebastian out. David nodded to whatever he said, "And via nomination by Warbler Trent Nixon here, all in favor of voting _me_ into his place and _Jeff_ into mine to lead choreography?" he asked. Hands stayed up. Thad laughed.

"Let's welcome, council member Jeffery Sterling and head council member David Thompson, shall we?" he said, clapping his hands in delight, the rest of the Warblers applauding with him. Nick threw a happy look to Jeff, but his roommate just seemed terrified.

"What's wrong?" he asked, bending down to whisper in the blonde's ear. The other boy took a shudder of a breath.

"I don't deserve you, and… and he'll hurt me, and I just can't…" Jeff looked on the brink of tears, Sebastian glaring at the pair of them as he left the room, and Nick nodded, grabbing Jeff's hand and leading him away from the other boys and finding a nice, empty girls' bathroom for them to have a moment in. Three cheers for the empty rooms to be found in all boys schools!

"Jeff…" Nick said slowly, hesitating to meet Jeff's eyes, he was so ashamed of not acting fast enough, "I'm so sorry… I knew… I know. I know what happened. All of it. And… and I'm the one who doesn't deserve someone here, Jeff. I should have helped you sooner, even when I wasn't sure. Sebastian wasn't treating you right, and I… I ignored it cause I… I was scared, and I shouldn't have. He hurt you, and I… I'm so sorry, Jeff. Please take me back," he begged, and Jeff looked at him like he was crazy.

"What? No… Nick. You don't… You don't know what you're asking. I don't… I can't do anything, Nicky. Anything. And I… Ugh, I'm such a girl," he said, and suddenly, the other boy was full out sobbing, harder than he should have been, really, and Nick realized how much he had to have been holding back all of this time.

"You're not a girl, Jeff," Nick said quietly.

"Yes, I am! Yes, I am. Th-tha's wh-what ev'ryone alway-ways said. I'm a fat. Stupid. _Girl_." Nick felt something terrible rise up in his heart. That's what Jeff had been thinking at the beginning of freshman year, when his entire middle school seemed to have collaboratively decided that he was a girl. The things they had said about him… Nick didn't even like to think about. All that stemming from the gentle face structure that he loved so much, that Sebastian had been putting his mouth all over.

"You're not, though, Jeff. None of that is true. You're too thin, and way smart, and –as you basically proved to me in every empty space we could find when we were together- all man. All. Man," he said, going for a laugh and getting one. "And I love you, stupid. I know what I'm getting into, and really? Getting into you is everything I could possibly want."

Jeff bit his lip, not looking sold, but Nick didn't care. He'd have eternity to try to prove it to him. Instead, Nick leaned in slowly, allowing Jeff to back away if he so chose, and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I love you, Nicky," Jeff said, an odd kind of desperation and sadness swelling in the words, and Nick nodded against the other boy's cheek before standing on his tiptoes to kiss his hair.

"More than you could ever know, Jeffy."

**Bwahaha. So fun. I love writing this kind of thing. I'm seriously addicted to it. Evil Sebastian/Protective Nick/Upsetted Jeff **

**FOREVER! 36 Please join in on my craze and I'll love you. **

**(And in case you're missing out on my head cannon, I've always pictured Jeff getting teased for being girly and gay, and also all the boys using the girls' bathrooms when they need an empty place.)**


End file.
